Newbie looking for a cigarette replacement

[STiZzle2010]

Hello everyone! My name is Josh and I am from New England. I have been smoking cigarettes for about 13 years and I smoke about a pack a day.

I work in the car business and have been accustomed to having a cigarette about once an hour for quite some time. The company I work for is now going "smokeless" and we will no longer be allowed to smoke on the property anywhere (to include inside my car) starting January 1, 2014. I have always enjoyed smoking but I have wanted to quit for a little while as well so this may be a blessing.

I have tried in the past a Blu e-cig disposable that I purchased at my local gas station and this didn't do anything for me. A few of the issues I had was the weight of the unit it self. Being accustomed to a traditional cigarette, the weight of the unit itself was hard for me to deal with (maybe it is a mental thing). I did not like the vapor as it did not feel like the smoke I am used to hitting my mouth and throat. Lastly it didn't do anything for my urge.

I am looking for some guidance on e-cigs that I should look to purchase. I understand that there are many types and that everyone's opinion will vary. I need something that will be as close to a traditional cigarette as possible. I know that due to the components and battery, it will not compare to a cigarette in terms of weight however, I want it to smoke like a cigarette would. As far as budget goes, I am honestly trying to save money (if possible) from my regular cigarette habit as I currently spend about $65 a week on cigarettes. My goal is to be able to get away from smoking cigarette completely for my health, my family, and cause I cannot go 8-12 hours at work without smoking.

I currently smoke Newport menthols and something compared to this would be ideal. I work at a desk with access to an electrical outlet so battery life is not a significant factor. Any help, suggestions, or direction to research would be much appreciated and thank you in advance!

 

[spaceballsrules]

The weight of the ecig will take some getting used to, no mater what device you decide on.

I suggest a Pro Starter Kit from SmokelessImage. It comes with a PCC(personal charging case), so the charge becomes a non-issue. Opt for the 78mm batteries for even more charge time. Also, get auto batteries to simulate the experience of smoking a cigarette as closely as possible. As for flavors from SI, I suggest trying 555 and RY4. They don't anything like cigs, nor should they, but they are quite satisfying. Start with 24mg or 18mg strength. Use the code "VOLTSAVE" for 16% off everything. Smokeless Image | The Best Electronic Cigarette

Oh, and welcome aboard the ECF train!

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Hello and welcome to ecf.

There are several new types of ecigs out now that could be what you are looking for. You can look at discount vapers, Dojo, gotvapes etc. Cig-a-likes do not traditionally fit too many peoples need because of just what you stated, not strong enough, etc.
Innokin VV3 has a nice kit out and functions as a passthrough meaning you can vape while it charges. Holds about an hr charge, is small but packs a hugh punch with the variable voltage. Kits come with clearomizers and wall charger so you would have everything you need except the ejuice.

Have a look at the couple of sites I mentioned. Or google Innokin or eGo etc.

Good luck
Glad you found us.

 

[WillyZee]

welcome STiZzle2010 ... I just recently picked up an eRoll for my stealth mobile vape (I also have an eVic for home use)... with some strong nic juice of 24-30mg, this may be suitable for your needs ... there is an ECF sub forum with a lot of positive feedback

Joyetech eRoll *Mini*

 

[Nightcall]

Personally I started with Halo G6 cig-alikes. Pretty good, not too heavy, lighter than a Blu or Logic. Other people like above recommend Smokeless Image Volt. There are other solid cig-alikes that I'm sure people will mention.

If you do go with a cig-alike starter kit, I recommend getting one automatic battery and one manual battery if the option is there, to see which one you prefer. Automatic you just take a puff and get vapor. Manual you have to press a button on the battery while inhaling. Automatic is easier obviously and more resembles smoking a cigarette, but manual you get a better hit.

edit: want to add that I upgraded from cig-alikes after about 3 weeks because of the disappointment you mentioned in your post. While I did quit smoking with Halo G6, and I liked it, I needed more vapor and throat hit. So i went to ego batteries and bigger clearomizers etc.. To get a more true tobacco experience I vape NETs now (Naturally Extracted Tobacco flavor). You can add menthol to these with some NET vendors.

 

[legionvr6]

welcome! i was a heavy smoker for about 15 years so i feel your pain. i'd suggest and ego twist or vision spinner to start with for the battery portion. they arn't like holding a cig but more like a stick with a button. they just simply work. i know its a little odd at first for a smoker to use one like that but you get used to it really fast and dont even notice.

as for the tank section i'd suggest starting with a kanger pro tank (they are just easy to use). the protank 3 came out and it's a duel coil so the vapor should be a warmer one than normal single coil units so should be a little more natural but keep in mind you're not burning anything so it will never feel exactly the same.

once you get comfortable i'd also suggest trying cartomizer's out. especially with a rich tobacco flavor. (IMO) they just make a flavor like Dulce Cubano come way out in flavor.

just a head's up after that many years your start coughing out stuff after a week or two DON'T FREAK OUT!!! it's not the vape its your lungs getting all the gunk out. also cig's will start tasting worse and worse as your taste buds come back to life lol

hope this help

 

[djsvapour]

All I can say is this.

If you were smoking once an hour, you were smoking up to a pack a day (or 3/4)?

Unless they were "ultra lights" I would not recommend anything that looks like a cigarette or could be mistaken (from a distance) for a cigarette.

I wasted too much time and too much money on mini e-cigs. PLEASE buy an eGo type e-cig.

We don't have Blu or Volt or whatever (we do have Joyetech e-roll) but I tried and failed on this type of product. I smoked 15 a day.

 

[stlhawks]

Josh, welcome and feel at ease. As a former Newport smoker myself...I have to chime in. The first thing that I would do is see if there is a local Brick and Mortar shop near you so that you can test some flavors. Everyone's pallet is different. I started off trying to use Menthol Juices and they just did not work for me. I stuck with the NET (Naturally Extracted Tobacco) flavors.

If you're a pack a day smoker like I was, you may want to start out at 24mg/ml Nicotine concentration. I started with an eGo twist battery and some Kangar T2 tanks. Taking into account your weekly budget, you should be able to get a kit and some E-liquid for around 75 bucks. (eGo battery, tanks, juice, charger). If there isn't a B&M store located near you, then I would suggest Heather's Heavenly Vapes website for your tobacco flavors, that' where I go. Legend, Pirate's Booty, Serendipity, Oompah, Dragon's Fire, and Dark Horse are among my favorites (you can also add menthol flavor shots if you like or order a sample pack). if you want a strict tobacco flavor Coumarin Pipe Tobacco is one of my go-to flavors as well.

Good Luck and welcome.

 

[STiZzle2010]

Wow what a quick response! Thank you for the information. It appears I have a bit of research to do as some of the terminology being used is a foreign language to me lol.

To answer a few questions; yes I smoke about a pack a day currently. I do not have a store that is local (to my knowledge) to try out any flavors which of course is another reason I have been apprehensive.

I guess what I am most concerned with is that I do not want to spend money on a kit and have it not work for me requiring me to buy and try another. It seems as though there has been many suggestions listed already that it is almost impossible to know which direction to go. I wish there was a place where I could go and try out several different ones. That way I could at least get a hands on experience to see what will work best for me.

 

[H Niemand]

I was a heavy smoker. The cigalikes did not work for me. If you occasionally smoke cigars, an ego form will not feel that weird. I agree that going with an 18 to 24 mg juice is the way to go initially. Just remember that no juice tastes like an analog so don't expect it. Some do taste similar to cigars or pipe tobacco.
Right now, I'm vaping Rum Maple Tobacco from Mt. Vapor. It is actually a little strong in flavor for me.

 

[stlhawks]

If you can get a hands-on experience, that's going to be your best bet to get your foot in the door...if you're going to jump in and take the plunge I'd be happy to share some links with you.
evod starter kit
Kanger Protank 2 - Not absolutely necessary, but it's a damn good tank. Your Starter Kit comes with tanks.
E-Liquid Sample Pack
Dark Horse
RY4

 

[STiZzle2010]

If you can get a hands-on experience, that's going to be your best bet to get your foot in the door...if you're going to jump in and take the plunge I'd be happy to share some links with you.
evod starter kit
Kanger Protank 2 - Not absolutely necessary, but it's a damn good tank. Your Starter Kit comes with tanks.
E-Liquid Sample Pack
Dark Horse
RY4

A few questions on the evod starter kit. Is this a manual battery or auto? When filling the unit (I suppose it is called a tank) with the liquid, how long does that fill last? Is this something that I will have to fill multiple times a day considering how much I currently smoke? Is it filled simply by something like a dropper or is i done another way? I am worried about making a mess or it leaking out lol. Also what is the battery life?

I am still a bit confused on all of the necessary components as I assumed this would be a bit simpler of a process. Please excuse my ignorance as this is completely foreign to me.

 

[stlhawks]

No worries, bud. This is a manual battery, which means you've got to push the button. When filling the tank, it should last you all day, but YMMV. Here's an image to help give you an idea of what you'll be doing to fill it, if you choose this kit/method. I'd keep the bottle of juice with you just for your own well-being in case you do go through all 1.6 ml.
https://www.myvaporstore.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/kangert3ht.jpg
The image was too large to put on the ECF Forums, sorry.
When you get your e-juice, they should all come with dropper tips on them, which should make filling easy. You may end up having it leak through the mouthpiece like the image describes, but just have a paper towel/napkin/handkerchief ready. That kit comes with 2 650 mAh batteries. This is around 6 hours of continuous vaping, but again, YMMV depending on how much you're using it. Just don't forget to put it on the charger nightly and swap them daily.

There is a plethora of e-cig sites out there that offer starter packs. If you want a longer battery life, just look for the larger mAh battery. I'd say this one is a pretty good starter, and you can get all of the items I was referencing in earlier posts at one website.

As someone earlier stated, don't think that the flavor is going to exactly remember what smoking tasted like. Also, it's not an instant gratification of nicotine..it takes a couple of minutes to get to you. Don't get discouraged, there is a bunch of information the forums can throw at you, just take it one post at a time

 

[legionvr6]

the device: battery, tank, charger. that easy. keep in mind inside the tank is the coil head (or some people call it the atomizer) its the part you replaces anywhere from one week to every few month all depends on use (yes it can last months as some of my friends empty a tank in 3-4 days and i empty 3-4 a day)

in your case YES you will probably refill the tank once, twice maybe more a day. it really comes down to how much you vape. its easy to pill. most juices come with a nipple top of an eye dropper. you just turn the tank over unscrew the bottom and fill. just dont get juice down the center hole. and if you do dont freak you just finish up, close it all up and blow it through

 

[stlhawks]

To add to legion's description, if you do get juice down the center, blow through from the bottom of the tank.

 

[Steamix]

Feel free to check the products mentioned here on youtube. Even for the most exotic hardware, a review or two can be found there. Gives you an idea how they look and how they vape.

 

[STiZzle2010]

Ok seems straight forward enough. Why is it however that you have to replace the tank with the coil head (atomizer)? Does it burn out and no longer work and what is the cost to replace this? Are tanks interchangeable or specific to the model I am using? Are there benefits to using a tank that is different from the one I originally got with the kit? Lastly, how do I know when the tank is bad?

I do apologize if these questions are repetitious for you guys. I am sure you answer them regularly but, I do appreciate your willingness to provide me with the answers. I have already gotten a much better idea of what to expect and I thank you for that!

 

[legionvr6]

Atimizer: you'll know when to replace when it starts vaping liter. (please note you only need to replace the atomize/coil head. not the whole tank
price: a 5 pack of protank atomizers is usually $10
Fitting: if you get a normal Ego type device it will fit almost all tanks on the market. so dont worry to much there

Tank's: there at glass/Pyrex tanks. they feel way more solid and wont degrade from menthol, citrus and other juices known to break down plastics.
plastic tanks are cheaper and break down from as mentioned certain juices. but nice to have a few as BS units for when you just need a tank that you dont care about

 

[BigCatDaddy]

A few questions on the evod starter kit. Is this a manual battery or auto? When filling the unit (I suppose it is called a tank) with the liquid, how long does that fill last? Is this something that I will have to fill multiple times a day considering how much I currently smoke? Is it filled simply by something like a dropper or is i done another way? I am worried about making a mess or it leaking out lol. Also what is the battery life?

I am still a bit confused on all of the necessary components as I assumed this would be a bit simpler of a process. Please excuse my ignorance as this is completely foreign to me.

No worries, we all went thru it at first. Hopefully, you can find a shop nearby. There's a shop locator on this website that should help.

 

[legionvr6]

honestly just open Yelp and look up vape shop. every time i have time to kill i just look up the nearest shop that way and just go sampling trying to find something new or see if they have any good deals. you'd be amazed at how many vape shops are in a normal city